Vintage Looks Meet Modern Fashion
Dior’s New Look silhouette. Jackie Kennedy’s sheath dress. Madonna’s bustier. Fashion trends come and go, but certain iconic styles never fade. Make them for yourself with BurdaStyle’s new guide to sewing fashion through the decades. Five adaptable master patterns for tops, dresses, and pants are transformed into nineteen unique projects for both women and men that draw inspiration from key fashion moments. These influential looks—from the Roaring Twenties to the Awesome Eighties—are all modernized and reinterpreted for today’s sewing enthusiasts.

BurdaStyle, the world’s largest online community of people who sew, is synonymous with stylish sewing and high-quality patterns. In this follow-up to The BurdaStyle Sewing Handbook, we provide step-by-step instructions and techniques for customizing the enclosed master patterns into new design variations, all perfectly fitted for you. You’ll also get a taste of fashion history—the essential designers, signature trends, and style icons from each era—to help you channel your inner Coco Chanel, Audrey Hepburn, or Yves Saint Laurent.

BurdaStyle Sewing Vintage Modern combines the best of fashion from the past with an updated approach to sewing. Whether you prefer a slim-fit pant, the perfect men’s button-down, or a versatile shift dress, this book offers a classic collection that will last you a lifetime.

For a chance to win this fun and creative book, please answer the following question in the comments section below: What is your favorite decade of style and why?

The deadline for submissions is Wednesday, January 9, 2013 at 11:59 PM (EST). Two lucky winners will be chosen.

163 Comments

I am absolutely mesmerized by the styles of the 30’s & 40’s. The classy styles show of a person’s most beautiful assets without being cheesy, cheap, or chincy. It seems like such care was taken into putting oneself together from head to toe. The styles then were designed to effectively show off the femininity of every woman, including those of us whom are just a bit curvier in all the not so right places. I hit the clothing area in every 2nd hand store, antique shop, and auction I come across. And I fall in love all over again. My mother’s wedding gown was from that era, and OMG, She was A Raving Beauty then, & still is!!

I think that there is a resurgence of garment sewing in my area of the US. Everyone needs some classic pieces, every day dresses and go to styles. My favorite is the 40-50. Lovely day dresses, easy to wear and you always look great.

I love the 50’s and 60’s. Think big skirts with lovely petticoats and interesting necklines and I like the pencil pants and capris such as Audrey Hepburn wore. DD wants a 50’s dress for prom and this book would be a huge help in that regard. Thanks for the opportunity.

I love vintage design and I have a collection of vintage fashion, especially from the ‘50s. I’m very excited about this book, especially the ’20s and ’30s. So excited to work with these patterns from the new book.

I love vintage look! No matter what decade. As a woman at age 45 it is not easy to find something elegant and appropriate for me to wear. Current fashion is directed to young and ’brave’ woman. I wish good luck to everyone who wants to find a good ‘fashion’ for a woman over 40. (Over 40 doesn’t mean ‘plus size‘) Most of the vintage patterns have that “it”. It looks like short sleeve, waist placed in waist and midi skirt was normal then and it looked good. I have a lot of Burda magazines from 80’s and I have to say, there is a lot of good fashion in there, just needs “smaller” shoulders.

My favorite decade is the early 60s. My favorite TV show is the Twilight Zone and part of what draws me to the show is the vintage fashion. I love the men in their suits and hats and the women with the perfectly set hair and glamorous dress evern for lounging around the house. I love the simple perfection that these women strived for. Plus I LOVE the cat eye makeup and little black hand bags.

I love the 1920s to 1940s style, in 1920s floral dresses, fashionable styles but beautiful and comfortable; flapper dresses. Besides the accesories such as hats, necklaces, the hairstyles, etc.

1940s is gorgeous also, because the dresses and styles have a more accentuation on the waist and the look was more flatering and sexy. also the accesories such as hats, necklaces and hairstyles changed but flatering. The colors and the body accentuation is very flatering in women but still very femenine.

I love the 1920s to 1940s style, in 1920s floral dresses, fashionable styles but beautiful and comfortable; flapper dresses. Besides the accesories such as hats, necklaces, the hairstyles, etc.

1940s is gorgeous also, because the dresses and styles have a more accentuation on the waist and the look was more flatering and sexy. also the accesories such as hats, necklaces and hairstyles changed but flatering. The colors and the body accentuation is very flatering in women but still very femenine.

I like 50th for elegant lines, feminine look and worship of a women. I also realize that it is
A dream and a fantasy and it is not real, that women were not equal and not well respected
In that society. What I look for is a modern take on 50th style where women is as powerful
as beautiful!
Thank you and good like everyone with the competition!
Svetlana (Toronto/Moscow)
Thank you, Burda for the wonderful site and for bringing us together

The 90’s definetelly where for me the best years of fashion. Clothes where representing the human figure whithout implying any sexual vulnerability or predating intensions! Minimalism with it’s almost invisible seams and flat patterns was leaving breathing space for textiles to glam .I am still faithfull to the 90’s concept although now I also use it to enhance the bijoux accompanying the garment.

Sewing a Neck Facing with Zipper

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